How would you build it?

steel tubing

Clamp to the frame?, Or, weld it on?

Weld it. Otherwise they're just for looks and don't help in a rollover.

The stock one in my 85 CJ7 worked pretty well. I would copy that one.

Thanks all!

R.O.P.S. structures, suspensions, engines and transmissions, cabs, dump beds, logging truck bunks....are all held on with bolts, some like R.O.P.S. by OSHA and MSHA law. Farmer class welders welding on heat treated frames without experience may not be the best option. For starters a 1/2" grade 5 hex bolt has a shear strength of 70,000#....so 8 of them, 4 per side, you are looking at 560,000#. Do what you want, it's your jeep.

I was in a roll over in my Jeep, in 1984.

I was in the passenger seat. The Jeep did a "barrel roll" when it hit a stump on the left front corner.

When the Jeep came to a rest, I was pinned in by about an 8" fir tree, and the roll bear was broke right above my head.

The windshield was folded over on me. The paramedics hat to cut the tree out with a chain saw, and I quit breathing because of the fumes from the chainsaw.

Thank goodness, they were able to get me breathing again after they got me out!

I would NEVER own a Jeep that has only a roll bar. A roll cage is WAY safer!

Have a 2013 Rubicon now, and it has a built in roll cage that will keep the windshield from folding over.

Virgil B.

Think it was 79 when they did the roll bars that went down to the floor behind the front seats.

If shorty and I get a CJ5 for a project we will do a cage.

In 73 I had a 73 CJ5. Was running an errand in town and went to make a right turn and Two jackwads were racing up the street, when they got to me they split and one was going around my right side as I was turning right. He hit my passenger side and caused me to turn into a brick wall. Insurance company totaled my Jeep. A friend of the families bought it and He tore it all down and rebuilt it from the ground up. Fast forward 4 months and it was totally rebuild and a high school friend bought it. I was in town and my friend saw me and showed it to me and I drove it, it drove just like it did before I wrecked it. My friend had ordered a roll bar for it and installed it and he went to the tire store and put some over size tires on it. That evening they were coming home from the mountains and the tires he had put on that day still had the seating pressure in them causing him to loose control coming through a gravel turn. They rolled 4 or 5 times and the only then that saved the kid in the back seat was the roll bar they had installed that afternoon. Totaled the Jeep again. My friend had it one day and wrecked it.

Use thick wall tubing- - - -.093" or thicker. Go all the way to the frame with the mountings. Big mounting plates and bolts are OK- - -welding is better. Some of the eye candy "roll bars" are made of exhaust pipe, and they're worthless. A cage is better- - - -40+ years of building dirt track race cars has taught me that there's no such thing as too much protection.

What model Jeep do you have?

Pics?

A tutorial will be required.

Wabi knows how and posts lots of pics. Wondering if he has a barn-find. Lots of good stuff hidden in old Midwest barns.

!948 CJ something.

My Brother Jim bought it when he was 16 years old.

Hahahaha

Crush it and buy a 12 pack

Maybe see if northern Dave can do a restoration.
🤔

It's in a shop now.

Have the shop put one on.

It don't even look like it rolls let alone be capable of rolling over.

Hire a “crack mechanic”

Thank goodness I can't tell you that this method has worked because I have never been in a rollover in my 72 Blazer, but the above is what I installed about 30 years ago (8 bolts, not welded) and I do have high confidence.

ironbender;
Top of the morning my friend, I hope that you're all getting weather you can stand and that you and your fine family are well.

While I'm not above tackling some mechanic and fabrication work, I'll go with your recommendation on this one 1000%.

The only thing I'd add is, as others have posted, if it was my project there's no way I'd only have a roll bar put in. An entire roll cage would be the best option, built and installed by people who know how to do it right.

Then I'd make sure that the seats and safety harness would keep me and my passengers inside or at least still strapped in, in the event it went endo.

Anyways that'd be my approach, but as always there's many roads to Mecca and all that.

All the best to you all as we head into the Christmas Season.

Dwayne

That is a 2A, have had a few of them.

Now, for roll bars vs roll cage, it all depends on what is to be the main purpose of the Jeep. If just putting around your property, then a roll bar should suffice. If you are going to take it on the highway or rock crawl then you want a cage.

Attaching to the frame is ideal, but I have been Jeeping since the early 1980's and we never had one mounted to the frame.

My current build is a 1969 CJ6 with a cage, not built by me, it mounts to the body in 8 places. I am going to take the four corners and build bar/plates to mount to frame. Not the best image, but it is a well built cage. I will also, be adding a couple bars for chits and giggles.

When I bought my first CJ5 (an '82 in '87) my dads long time bud about cried.
Very upset w my purchase, said he held onto a fellow soldier that rolled one, died in his arms.
Of course that was way back and no roll bar....old flat fender.

Guess my fam lost a 2nd cuz when the Ford version w ind suspension flipped him in a ditch.

My 2nd CJ5 was brought home on a trailer. Purchased wrecked. Frontal roll over, steering wheel touching seat.
I straightened the tub and bolted on a new front end, redid suspension and drove it like a madman for several years.
Statistically, pretty safe.......LOL

Factory roll bars on the CJ5 and CJ7s, early ones bolted to fender wells. Later the front of the bar went to floor behind front seats.
Still just bolted the the floor. They made kits where you through bolted to a pc that was welded to the frame.

Looked at cage for my XJs when wheeling, think it was Rock Hard that made bolt together cages.

Here is my ‘73 cj5. 65,000 on the OD iirc. I’m second owner. It’s been setting here in the dry for going on 30+ yrs now, or close to it.
These are the bars I built for it.
The inside bar is 2" x3/16 sg tubing. Miter cut, beveled and welded. I have hand sketches of an 1 1/4 sg tubing three bar set up that I plan on replacing it with at some point. If I do I’ll make a detachable light bar that mounts to the top of it for when the rag top is off.


The front bumper is a three piece deal. The main bumper is 5" x 3/16 broke channel with 1 1/4 x 3/16 sg railing. The idea is to keep the radiator and engine compartment from being completely crushed if does roll over. The grill guard and light bar are separate pieces. Might do the them in aluminum at some point.

The rocker panels and rear bars are all out of 1 1/4 x 3/16 sg. The rockers are topped with aluminum tread plate.



The 73 was one of the final years that actually had a tail gate. And one of the first years with the 304 I believe.
The rear tire carrier holds a Gerry can on each side of the tire and hinges from either side to drop the tail gate. To much schit’n the way to get pic of it.

I’m about getting in the mind set to start a restoration on it.(old age project) I want to build a flip up/forward front clip that will carry the hood fenders bumper and all with it.. a hillbilly’s e-type jag look!1 HA! <G>

Question, Orange paint on the raised Willis?

That could make a nice one! My grand daddy had a 46. Plowed with it. When he finally bought a tractor he traded it for a chainsaw!

Bolting or welding the roll bar to the frame is a good idea. A cheap azz roll bar just bolted to the truck bed and then packing the cab with 3 sweeties from the Cricket club, my roll over on 441 wasn't fatal. Drinking and grabbing azz is fun till it ain't.

Hey tndrbstr that looks like the original K Line top on it. Yep mine had the 304 in it, rear tailgate and it was set up as a "farm Jeep", it had the big stack of springs.

This is not true.... I was in a Jeep with a bolted in rollcage when we rolled three times , hard and fast on pavement, no slow roll. The jeep was totaled and we walked away sore but unhurt.

BluMnt, no I know I replaced the original at some point. I done it myself so it fit taught like it should. I’ve seen some rattyas’ replacements that folks paid someone else to do!
I plan on reversing the front spring shackles on it and moving them behind the axle. I also have a set of front Chevy disc brakes that I had planned on doing a conversion with… that and a Chevy Camaro steering box.
laffin… we’ll see!

Either Or,.. for serious schitt they really need to be tied into the frame on way or another. Even with a backing plate the fender metal is probably still just around 20ga or less.

Obviously they should be frame mounted if possible...
I was simply disputing the "absolute" statement by STRSWilson..... experience trumps speculation, always

As far as I know, back in the day, factory roll bars were never welded OR mounted to the frame.

Correct, they were bolted to the tub

The guy I bought my cj off of special ordered it so not to have the big hood decal kit on it. Golden eagle or something?
He told them he didn’t want the roll bar either and they just left it off! It never had one when I got it.

Brother Fubar;
Top of the morning to you my cyber brother, I trust that other than the political turmoil we're enmired in that all else in your life is more than less fine.

Please help a semi-geezer's memory out here, but even back in the day did Jeep actually ever say the factory bar was anything more than for looks?

In the '80's when the BC pickups all had the "roll bar" in the box they were sold up here as a "light bar" and there was a warning that they didn't help in a roll over.

Anyways, having never been near a Jeep until our eldest bought a one owner XJ I'd only gone hunting in buddy's a couple times. His had that factory bar too if I'm remembering right?

Thanks in advance and all the best.

Dwayne

I wouldn't ride in a Jeep without at least a roll bar, much prefer a cage... seen too many roll

My cyber brother from the land of Canucks...

Early jeeps did not come with roll bars...
I may be wrong, but best I can remember when AMC bought them out they started installing roll bars and I believe they called them that, and they bolted to the tub.
The AMC Jeep was a tad longer to accommodate the 258 straight six and the 304 V8 that replaced the 4 banger and Buick V6
All our older Jeeps had custom cages and the majority bolted to the tub, race Jeeps being an exception.
I have seen Jeeps roll up to a dozen slow rolls off road and the tub mounted cages worked ok. They were completely destroyed but the occupants survived

I can’t believe they sold it new to the guy without the roll bar. It must have been a sticker add on and he said he didn’t want to pay for it!

If you havent rolled a Jeep then you havent driven one much.

Uncle told of begging his older brother to borrow his CJ5 so him and his buddies could go wheeling. Older brother said Okay but one rule. Straight up and straight down, do NOT attempt to side hill any obstacle. They made it half a mile down the county road before they tried to cut across the ditch at which point the flipped it on it’s side. 🤦‍♂️

Get to going on it....
Here are two threads to spur you on.

I Blame NorthernDave
Blame NorthernDave II

There were not factory roll bars until the late 70's, prior to that they were dealer options.

Correct.

Never rolled a Jeep yet and I learned to drive in one. But I haven't been so lucky with a Samurai, rolled it twice so far and it felt like slow motion both times.

Some pictures.

Thats a good'un. No shame in the DTs.


Happy Birthday

Hand held camera.

I work cheap.

Gonna make a ‘nice’ 8x10 for Rodney

No schidt? Fooled me.


Hold it a little firmer next time.

Anyone is welcome to post better pictures.

Wabi,
You will not need a roll bar... just say a prayer each time before you motor off into the sunset....

You fugger!

Hahaha!

My jeep has the Go Devil engine too.

The L-heads are fun little motors to work on. I have one in the 3b, smokes a little but purrs like a kitten.

Grandpa rolls his jeep.....

Stan had to be talked into installing the roll bar....Good thing he had it.

The abuse he puts his Jeep through is a testament to their toughness. Then there is this abuse put on a CJ6!

Yes, roll cage, and belts.

Damn dude, that’s a shame

Ho lee chit brother that was hard to watch.... glad he wasn't in my group, that's a breakdown waiting to happen.... smooth and easy rules the day!

I had a jeep that I sold my younger brother back in the 70's, he was still in high school and did stupid stuff. The back seat was just sitting in there not bolted down. He took it up a mountain road with 2 of his friends and on the way down ran off the road and rolled. The 2 in front stayed belted in but the guy in back got thrown out, the seat landed on top of him and the jeep rolled over it. He came out from under the seat with just minor scratches and bruises.

Problem solved

What is it about Jeeps?

Richard there are plenty of stock car fabrication shops in Iowa that buy the CM tubing in bulk and have the equipment to bend. Most likely your cheapest option for one that is right

Jeeps are all American.... that's what

Barbie drives one.
LOL

.093 wall thickness sure seems skinny.

I wouldn’t put a ton of faith in the “roll cage” in your JK. Jeep doesn’t even consider them a roll cage. According to Jeep they’re a sport bar.

I’ve had a 2011 JK and currently a 2018 JL I’m familiar with the “cage” in late model Wranglers.

The first thing I’d do is omit you from being anywhere near the project.

I think it would a bit light. That’s just about 3/32s